Pages

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Twenty-six year old lead singer and guitar player for Hostage for Ransom. Currently residing at The Second Chance Ranch rehabilitation facility in Dallas, TX. He is originally from New York but lives in LA when he's not on the road with his band.

LIKES

Bourbon and brunettes. And blondes. And redheads.

DISLIKES

Anyone or anything that gets in his way.

VICES

Whatever drowns out the painful memories of his past.

INK

A black-winged angel on his back. A full sleeve on one arm depicting the path that led him to music. A small cross below his left thumb. And some more, um, intimate ink in places you have to discover for yourself.

VAN RANSOM

EXCERPT

“Damn you
taste good, cowgirl,” he told her once she’d ridden out the remaining violent
waves of ecstasy. “Here, taste.” Ignoring her wide eyes, he pressed his mouth
to hers and lashed his tongue inside. He knew the sugared honey that was her
arousal flared her desire because she clamped her legs around him and gripped
his biceps hard enough to hurt. The way she dug her fingers in, as if she were
holding onto him for dear life, made him ache to be inside her.

“Made up your mind yet?”

She pulled back from their kiss, still panting enough to make his entire life. “About?”

“Whether or not you believe the rumors. About me. Be honest.”

An impish grin lifted her lips. “Well, I can say with absolute certainty that you are, in fact, a madman.”

“That’s what they tell me, sweetheart.” He brushed his lips softly against hers to show her that, even as crazed as he was, madman or not, he could be gentle too—if that’s what she needed.

“Van…I need you,” she breathed. “Soon.”

The plea soothed every open wound he’d nursed for as long as he could remember. She needed him. And unlike the last woman who’d needed him, the one he’d failed miserably, he would be what Stella Jo Chandler needed. He would keep this one safe.

“You’ll have me. Soon. We’ll just have to be careful. I don’t want to cost you your job, cowgirl.”

She nodded. His eyes met hers and he saw it. She trusted him completely.

He would be worthy of that trust. Of her.

Or so help him, he’d cut out his own damn heart.

MEET VAN IN LAST SECOND CHANCE BY CAISEY QUINN

COMING MAY 12, 2014

Or check out the giveaway below and enter to win 1 of 3 ARCs being given away!

Tuesday, April 29, 2014

SHATTERED by Elizabeth Lee is out today!

Elizabeth's first novel ever to be published is being re-released with bonus material and a new beautiful cover! We have an excerpt for you, a giveaway for a signed copy, and where you can find it. Don't miss a single moment of this outstanding New Adult Contemporary Romance, but...prepare to be SHATTERED.

Alyssa Boyd had big plans. Big plans that included getting the hell out of the little town she’d grown up in with her two best friends. When she decided it was time to let one of them know her true feelings for him; a change of plans resulted in a tragic turn of events. Now, Alyssa is left alone to find her way out of the darkness that an untimely death has left in its wake. Jesse Vaughn was never good at letting people in. He’d learned a long time ago that it’s easier that way because people leave, or, unfortunately, die. The one person he wanted to let in doesn’t want him anymore. The only problem is he can’t stop thinking about her. Jesse returns to the childhood home he left behind with one goal in mind… to convince her that they should be together. When Jesse finds Alyssa she’s not the same girl he left behind. She’s wild, reckless and hell-bent on not giving Jesse a second chance. Lucky for Jesse, his stubborn streak has always been a mile-wide and he’s not about to give up on her. When your life has been shattered can you really pick up all the pieces and move on?

You can get SHATTERED for just $.99 THIS WEEK ONLY!

EXCERPT:

Jesse Vaughn was back. Was he the one who took me home from the party last night? Why didn’t I remember? How drunk was I? It had been nine long months since I’d last seen him, or even heard from him for that matter. I turned back to face January and Hap in utter disbelief. “Yep.” Hap nodded with a confirming smile. January’s expression matched her boyfriend’s. They were excited about the possible reunion of Jesse and me. January knew everything that almost happened, so it went without saying that Hap was clued in. I hated to break it to them, but this wasn’t going to be the happily ever after that they’d hoped for. As much as I wanted to run up, wrap my arms around his neck and tell him how much I’d missed him, I couldn’t fight the dormant anger that I’d let be suppressed by the sadness and guilt. He left me. It was bad enough that Garrett was gone, but that wasn’t his choice. Jesse had left because he wanted to. I brought my hands up and covered my face, hoping he would walk back out the door before I had to face him. “Hey, Lyss.” The tone of his voice was hesitant, surely he knew I was in shock to see him. “How are you?” It was hard to tell if he meant, “How are you? It’s been nine months since I last saw you.” or “How are you after getting completely shit-faced last night?” Just hearing his deep, raspy voice sent a ripple across my skin. I really thought he was gone. I looked up to see him standing beside our table. He looked the same. He’d let his hair grow out, just a little bit longer, but it was same jet-black color and messy tousled look I remembered. The glow of his suntanned skin led me to believe that he’d been hiding out somewhere sunny as opposed to what I’d assumed, which was that he must have crawled under a rock and died, or fell off the face of the earth. Why else would he have just completely disappeared from my life? Everything that had happened the night of Garrett’s accident flashed in my mind. I couldn’t even begin to form a complete sentence. Instead, I pushed out of the booth and looked directly in the eyes I’d tried to forget. “Don’t,” was all I could come up with before I ran out of the diner. “Alyssa, please.” He followed me out the door. “Can’t we just talk?” “No!” I yelled out, not breaking my stride as I walked across the street. His hands stopped mine before I could pull the car door open and escape. The contact of our skin sent a shock up my arm. “Please.” I turned to see the desperation in his eyes. He pulled his lip between his teeth and brushed a stray hair from my cheek. His hand rested on my cheek. I caught myself turning my face into his strong, warm hand and quickly pulled away. As much as I wanted to fight it, everything that I’d felt for him was still there. I still wanted him to touch me. To kiss me. The guilt and anger that accompanied the desire was too much. “I can’t do this, Jesse.” I pulled my face from his and quickly sunk behind the wheel of my car. I drove away, leaving him alone on the street. I wasn’t ready to talk to him. To ask him the string of questions that had been running through my head for months. To explain my erratic behavior the night before. I wasn’t ready for any of it. So, I did the only thing I could think of to avoid the entire situation. I went home, opened the desk drawer and retrieved my new foolproof method of not dealing with it.

ABOUT ELIZABETH LEE: When I'm not writing or playing the part of wife and mother, you can find me dancing back-up for Beyonce, singing back-up for Miranda, or sunning myself on the beach with a drink in hand. Here's the thing about being born and raised in a small town—you have a very vivid imagination! Now, I channel it all to create stories where the girl always ends up with the right guy, first kisses are magical, and a happy ending is just that!

Sophie Grates has never had it easy, but she's finding her way through life one step and one day at a time. That is, until Nico comes in and flips her world upside-down. He forces her to see you cannot live life from the outside looking in, and sometimes you have to step out onto the ledge so you can really enjoy the view. Nico Mayson knew the moment he saw Sophie Grates that she was the one. His whole life, he has been judged by what's on the outside, so finding a beautiful woman who sees the real him only makes his feelings that much stronger. Nico knows the kind of man he is, and the things he is capable of, and he will do everything in his power to help Sophie fight her demons so they can have their happily ever after. Everything in life worth having is worth fighting for.

Check out the gorgeous new covers for the three previous books in the Until series:

About the Author

Aurora Rose Reynolds is a navy brat whose husband served in the United States Navy. She has lived all over the country but now resides in New York City with her husband and pet fish. She's married to an alpha male that loves her as much as the men in her books love their women. He gives her over the top inspiration every day. In her free time, she reads, writes and enjoys going to the movies with her husband and cookie. She also enjoys taking mini weekend vacations to nowhere, or spends time with friends and family. Last but not least she appreciates every day and admires its beauty.

Monday, April 28, 2014

The minute he opened his sexy mouth, Holliday Hughes should have known Jack Dalton was trouble. His smooth pickup lines, broad shoulders, and ridiculously handsome face charmed her right out of her clothes. She gave into her desires, the instant attraction blinding her to the obvious.

One night. That was all it took for Holliday’s world to be flipped on its axis. Jack Dalton was cocky. Smug. Volatile. Demanding. He ignited something deep inside her like no other, but there was something more to this brooding bad boy. There was a dark side to him she couldn't help but be drawn to.

Torn between what she knew about him and a mysterious side he tried to hide, could she walk away or was he simply too hard to resist?

“Wait.”
He reaches to the nightstand one more time and grabs his phone. Scrolling, he
smiles when he finds what he’s looking for. With one push of the button, a song
I’m all too familiar with begins. I know every word and every riff. “Stairway
to Heaven” was the soundtrack to a lot of trouble I got into back in high
school. “Led Zeppelin?”

With a
smirk in place, he nods. “This is great fucking music.”

“Great
fucking music or great music for fucking?” I ask as his hands squeeze my
breasts.

“Both.”
He lays back, his hands sliding up the outside of my thighs, and says, “Take me
to that place that keeps you from getting jaded. That place where you find
peace without the demons destroying everything you thought you wanted. Take me
there.”

Darkness
fills his eyes, his gaze alluding to everything he doesn’t have to be any
longer. I lift up and sink down on him, my hands pressed flat against his
chest, wanting to smother the dark and cover it with light. Slowly rocking back
and forth like the tempo calls for, his words lyrics to my ears, invading my
thoughts. I drop my head back as his hands grab my hips, holding me down. The
resistance causes inner turmoil as my insides begin to coil. Wanting more, my
hands fall behind onto his legs, balancing me on top of him as we move against
the other.

I let my
mind drift with the melody, the fullness of him overtaking all other feelings.
The music builds and my body reacts to the rhythm he’s creating inside me. The
song becomes our anthem, a soundtrack to our moans and heavy breaths.

When I
look down at him, his eyes are open, watching me, one hand roaming my body
freely. The other caressing my tattooed skin.

The song
speaks of winding roads, shadows and souls… I’m flipped onto the mattress.
Dalton’s inside me again, moving over me. Our bodies become slick with sweat,
emotions begin swirling between us. Feelings that this could be more than just
one night plant themselves like seeds in the depths of my mind.

This book started out really strong. It gave me that *giddy* feeling that I get when I know I'm about to read a good book. It was just really funny and full of sexual tension right off the bat. The writing was unique and fresh. I loved how each chapter started with a quote from the main characters and that the POV's alternated. It was quirky and hot. So, yeah, great start!!

What really stands out to me the most about the story was how likeable the characters were. I just really liked Holliday and Jack... but kind of wish I got to know them a little better. You see... this book is super steamy. If you are a reader that reads for the steam factor, you are not going to be disappointed at all. That's a promise. Personally, I'm more of a character/relationship development reader. I don't mind the "steam" when it's a natural progression in the story, but I could do without an over abundance of it. I did find myself skimming some of the sex scenes *no tomatoes please*, but that's just the kind of reader that I am... I found myself getting really excited for Holliday and Jack to reunite and then when they did, it was ALL sex. I would have preferred to see them doing other things, but...again...just my preference ;)

Overall, I think this book was written very well. I love the author's humor and can't wait to read more of her work. It's funny!! For me, this was an *almost* 4 star read just because it wasn't exactly my style. It was really good though and the beginning was strong enough that I just had to keep going!

So if you like rockers, steam, and funny dialogue, you should read this book!!!! Now!

S.L. Scott is a former high-tech account manager with a journalism degree
pursuing her passion for telling stories. She spends her days escaping into her
characters and letting them lead her on their adventures.

Live music shows, harvesting jalapenos and eating homemade guacamole are her
obsessions she calls hobbies.

Scott lives in the beautiful Texas hill country of Austin with her husband, two
young sons, two Papillons and a bowl full of Sea Monkeys.

Her novels include Naturally, Charlie, Good Vibrations, and A Prior Engagement.

Saturday, April 26, 2014

At twenty-two years old, aspiring musician Sydney Blake has a great life: She's in college, working a steady job, in love with her wonderful boyfriend, Hunter, and rooming with her good friend, Tori. But everything changes when she discovers Hunter cheating on her with Tori -- and she is left trying to decide what to do next.

Sydney becomes captivated by her mysterious neighbor, Ridge Lawson. She can't take her eyes off him or stop listening to the daily guitar playing he does out on his balcony. She can feel the harmony and vibrations in his music. And there's something about Sydney that Ridge can't ignore either: he seems to have finally found his muse. When their inevitable encounter happens, they soon find themselves needing each other in more ways than one...

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, a passionate tale of friendship, betrayal, and romance -- and the enchanting music that inspires one young woman to put her life back together.

I have never given a Colleen Hoover novel anything less
than 5 stars. Until now.

Now, before you start throwing tomatoes at me, let me
just say this: Maybe Someday was
ultimately a good story. Honestly, it was. It would have probably been
4-5 stars if the love triangle had been handled a different way, but I'll get
into my thoughts on that later.

When Sydney finds out that roommate Tori has been messing
around with Hunter, her boyfriend of two years, she has no choice but to move
out. With nowhere to go, Sydney is given refuge by the guitar playing musician,
Ridge, who lives in the apartment across from hers. The catch? Sydney can live
there, rent free, if she agrees to write songs for Ridge's band. Through the
songwriting process, the two of them develop overwhelming feelings towards each
other, but they can't act on those feelings. Ridge has a girlfriend he loves,
and Sydney refuses to be "a Tori." But the truth always comes out –
and when it does, Ridge and Sydney's maybe someday becomes a very real
possibility.

So, why was this book not a 4 or 5 star read in my
opinion? The love triangle. I like certain
kinds of love triangles. For anyone who hasn't read one of my previous
reviews involving a love triangle, here's the short of it – I like triangles
where the person they should be with is very obvious. If it remains up in the
air for the majority of the book, I start getting frustrated because 9 times
out of 10, I end up rooting for the person they don't choose in the end. That's
super fun for me, right?

I'm sure some people are thinking "Well then why the hell do you even
read books with love triangles?!" First of all, I didn't know going
into this particular novel that it contained a triangle; if I had, I probably
would have asked around and found out a little bit more about it before I
decided to read it. Second of all, I continue to read books containing love
triangles because the ones that I do love, I
really love. Some of my favorite books ever
contain love triangles; how the author presents the situation and handles it
will make or break a love triangle for me.

The issue I had with this triangle was the fact that
Sydney and Ridge continually crossed the line to inappropriate; not in the
traditional way you think of someone crossing the physical line of infidelity,
but they did things someone in a relationship shouldn't be doing with the
opposite sex. Look, I understand why those
scenes were there, and they serve a purpose as far as Ridge's character goes,
but that doesn't mean it sat any easier with me. It made me uncomfortable. I
felt bad for Maggie. It planted some dislike for both Sydney and Ridge in my
heart. There is also the little thing called emotional cheating; it's still cheating in my eyes, and this
book is full of it, unfortunately. It seemed as though Sydney and Ridge
justified their actions because they weren't crossing a line sexually, but if
you are doing something you wouldn't want your girlfriend/boyfriend to see you
doing with someone else, you shouldn't be doing it. Plain and simple. The other
problem I had with the triangle was the way it ended. I can't really go any more into it without spoiling something, so I'll just leave it at that. I didn't like the way it ended.

As far as character likability, I don't have a lot of
issues. Colleen has always done a wonderful job creating unique and loveable
characters, and Maybe Someday follows
suit. While Sydney and Ridge grated on my nerves from time to time, they had quite
a few redeeming qualities as well. It wasn't even necessarily that I disliked
them, it was more I disliked their actions. There is a lot of turmoil and grief
regarding their friendship/relationship, and I did get the sense that they wanted to do the right thing…they just
didn't always follow through. *Cue frustration* Besides Maggie, the only secondary
character that we get a firm sense of is Warren, and I adored him. He might be
my favorite person in this book. His humor was refreshing on so many levels,
and you can see how much he cares about Ridge as a best friend. Nothing like a
good bromance on the side of a romance!

Colleen's writing is top notch as usual, and by the time
I finished the book I was okay with the way things ended, I guess. It was
inevitable. I felt a little like Gretchen Wieners during parts of this book,
only instead of trying to make "fetch" happen, I was trying to make
"Maggie and Ridge 4-Ever" happen. I kept hearing Regina George in my
head… "Ashley, stop trying to make Maggie and Ridge 4-Ever happen. It's
not going to happen."

So what it boils down to is that it was a good book…it just wasn't
great for me. I still positively adore Colleen Hoover and will continue to read
anything and everything she gives me. I think anyone who loves a triangle
romance will eat this up with a spoon. But triangles are really hit or miss for
me, and unfortunately, this one wasn't a direct hit.

*Just a few words
of advice: if you are planning to read this, I highly, highlysuggest not reading any reviews that
aren't labeled SPOILER FREE.*

This is the hardest review I have ever had to write.

I can't talk about the plot. Actually, I won't talk about the plot. I would be
doing a disservice not only to those of you who have yet to read it, but also
to Ella. There is a reason why the synopsis is vague. This is a story that requires
you to take Ella's hand and follow her blindly into the world of a forbidden
romance. Is it scary, essentially not knowing anything about a book you're about to dive into? Yes. But if there
is any author that can make me go into a story blind and know there will be a
method to her madness, it's Ella Frank.

Veiled Innocence will
take you on the journey of an eighteen year old high school senior and her
thirty-two year old history teacher. It’s poignant. It’s utterly captivating.
It’s beautifully broken. The forbidden dynamic of a teacher-student
relationship drew me in hook, line, and sinker. It’s taboo, it’s supposed to be
wrong…but holy hell, y’all – it just felt so
damn right. But that’s because this isn’t your typical teacher-student
novel. Ella found a way to make a popular, somewhat predictable premise new and
wonderfully unique. I was hanging on every single word, hungry with anticipation;
so much so, that I started and finished in one sitting without even realized
six hours had gone by! If that’s not tunnel vision, I challenge you to show me
what is!

Ella seamlessly transitions between past and present, as
well as male and female POV to the point of sheer perfection. Her writing
abilities never cease to amaze me, and Veiled
Innocence is no exception. The wickedly wonderful way she tells this story
left me hanging on both the past and the present, continually craving to know
more in both situations. I think this is one of the reasons why I was able to
devour this so quickly – as much as the past intrigued me, so did the present.
It’s like two stories in one, and while I think that has the potential to get
messy, this couldn’t have been more organized. The flow of the story was never
disrupted, and if anything, I think the past/present aspect enhanced the journey.

I’m really not sure what else I can say about this
without getting into the plot points, and I just won’t do that. So really, all
you need to know is that this story was utterly brilliant. As much as I love
all of Ella’s previous work, I think Veiled
Innocence takes the cake. (If you’ve
read any of my reviews of her previous books, you’ll know how much weight that
comment holds.) She is a magician with her words, and I am just absolutely
blown away.

I’d waited until
he got out of the truck before approaching. I didn’t want his escape to be as
easy as driving away. Standing in the small stone alcove of the gate, I knew it
would be best to wait until he stepped away from the lit area. That way, any
cars driving by wouldn’t be able to see us.

I wanted no
excuses, no reason for him to worry, but I could see my silence had caused just
as much concern as my presence would have. He turned to me, and I finally took
a moment to really look at him the way I wanted to.

His hair was
still pulled back but several pieces had now escaped and been pushed behind his
ears. The darker stubble lining his square jaw made my fingers tingle with the
need to touch.

“Oh, thank God,”
he whispered, sounding relieved.

I thought he
would move away from me once he knew I was safe. Instead, he reached out and
squeezed my shoulder.

“I thought
something had happened to you.”

I don’t think he
realized that he was slowly massaging me.

“Jesus, don’t do
that again. Okay?”

Taking another
step closer, I agreed quietly. “Okay.”

He licked his
lips and removed his hands, and I saw in his eyes the minute he decided it was
time for some distance.

“What are you
doing out here?” he asked. His casual black sports jacket shifted with the
breeze, and all of a sudden I couldn’t remember why I was there. All I knew was
that I wanted to touch him.

“Addison?”

His voice had
the ability to make all of the noise inside my head cease.

Blinking up at
him, I finally answered, “Yes?”

“What are you
doing out here?”

Moving in so my
jacket brushed the front of his, I finally reached to touch him, but he grabbed
my wrist, holding it away.

“No,” he told
me, and his voice was so stern I probably should have heeded the warning…but I
didn’t.

“No?”

His head bent
down, and when his face was a hairsbreadth from my own, he repeated, “No. Tell
me why you’re here.”

His breath was
warm as it ghosted over my lips, and I couldn’t help but part my own, hoping by
some miracle I could taste him on my tongue.

“Why are you here? That’s a better question,
don’t you think?”

“I know better
than this.”

I reached up needing to touch him, but he took that
hand too, holding them both prisoner. Being held in place with nowhere to go
elicited a hunger in me that I didn’t yet understand. “Know better than what?”

“Than to be here.”

“Then go,” I
offered.

That was all it
took. He spun me around, backed me up against the truck, and had my arms pinned
by my head so fast I lost my breath. Leaning in beside me until his mouth was
by my ear, he rasped in an unsteady voice, “I can’t.”

I turned my head
to face him and saw all of his turmoil, and finally, the full impact of his
desire. “Then don’t.”